Generally, the wind power generator generates electricity using natural wind and its configuration is as follows.
FIG. 10 is a front view showing a general wind power generator.
As shown in the figure, the general wind power generator includes a vane 501 rotated by the wind, an electric generator 500 generating electricity by the rotation power of the vane 501 and a support frame 600 supporting the electric generator 500 and the vane 501.
The aforementioned wind power generator including a plurality of vanes having a predetermined length radially from the rotation axis have some drawbacks described hereinafter. When a portion of the vanes is rotated by the wind, the other portion of the vanes disturbs the rotation of the vanes due to their own weights. That is, since the vanes have differences between rotation radiuses as much as they go along with ends from the rotation axis, the monolithic vane that rotates at the same angle deteriorates the efficiency of the electric generator by offsetting the rotation powers of the respective portions.
Besides, the aforementioned wind power generator requires separate apparatus for adjusting the vanes to the wind direction since the vanes can be rotated only when the vanes face the wind, thus causing difficulties in manufacturing the wind power generator.
Accordingly, the present inventor has disclosed a multi-direction wind power generation apparatus, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of the general wind power generator, in Korean Patent Application No. 2002-0057952.
The general multi-direction wind power generator includes a plurality of upper/lower support frames, having different lengths from each other, mounted on outer circumference of a plurality of pivots, having different diameters from each other, inserted in turn into a central axis of a base frame, provided vertically on the ground; vane plates for rotating the pivots, which are established on ends of the upper/lower support frames and rotated or suspended under the influence of the wind; rotation control means, provided on the upper/lower support frames, for controlling the rotation of the vane plates; and rotation power transmission means, mounted on a lower part of the central axis of the base frame, for transmitting rotation powers of the pivots by means of predetermined gear mechanisms; and an electric generator, for generating electricity by receiving the rotation power from the rotation power transmission means, wherein the lower part of the central axis, which transmits the rotation power generated by the vane plates by means of the gear mechanisms, includes a driving gear, established on each end of the pivots inserted into the central axis, a follower gear axis having follower gears engaged with the driving gears in different proportions respectively, a transmission gear, mounted on an end of the follower gear axis by penetrating a lower portion of a gear case having the ends of the pivots, the driving gears and the follower gear axis, and an electric generation gear, engaged with the transmission gear, for transmitting the rotation power to the electric generator.
When the wind blows from a certain direction, the plural vane plates of the multi-direction wind power generator having the above configuration are rotated under the influence of the wind, or suspended by means of the rotation control means. Here, the pivots are rotated under the influence of the wind when the vane plates are suspended and, when the vane plates are rotated under the influence of the wind, the wind resistance lessens, thus reducing the diminution of rotation power of the pivots.
The rotation power of the pivots is transmitted to the electric generator by means of the plural gear mechanisms established underneath.
However, the rotation power may be diminished due to sudden increases of resistivity caused when the adjacent plural vane plates are faced with the wind resistance blowing from a certain direction at a time, since the multi-direction wind power generator includes the rotation control means for controlling the rotation of the plural vane plates, provided on the ends of the upper/lower support frames mounted on the plural pivots, rotated or suspended under the influence of the wind so as to rotate the pivots.
Besides, in establishing the upper/lower support frames extended in the horizontal direction on the upper/lower parts of the pivots, the length of the upper/lower support frame is limited due to its own weight and the weight of the vane plates mounted on the ends thereof, thus making it difficult to manufacture a large-sized wind power generator. In addition, the upper/lower support frames may be destroyed by an excessive wind velocity since the upper/lower support frames have no separate supporters.